Gearhead
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Gearhead is the name of a DC Comics supervillain.
[edit] History
In the Batman comics, Gearhead is Nathan Finch. While he was kidnapping and holding his boss' daughter for ransom, he runs afoul of Batman who rescues her. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to save Nathan from falling to an icy death. Nathan Finch's body was discovered by two down-and-out people who take him to an unnamed underworld doctor. It turned out that Nathan wasn't dead and the doctor wanted his knowledge of cybernetics. Due to ravages of frostbite, the doctor removed his arms and legs and replaced them with cybernetic arms and legs. Nathan becomes Gearhead and develops his own cybernetic arsenal of removable body parts as well as a goal to exterminate Batman, whom he refers to as the "vermin".
He played a part in the Robin section of the No Man's Land (comics) crossover, in which he is one of a number of villains competing for control of Gotham City's sewers. Without the use of his cybernetics arms and/or legs, he is forced into partnership with the thuggish Tommy Mangles, who carries his torso about. The duo are iced by Mr. Freeze, a fate particularly frightening for Gearhead, given his origin.
He recently put in an apearance in the comic mini-series Rush City, where he is physically attached to his car.
[edit] Other media
Gearhead is one of many villains appearing on the Kids WB TV show, The Batman voiced by Will Friedle. He first appeared in "RPM", the fifth episode of the third season.
In this version, Gearhead is a criminal car racer who operates with advanced forms of nanotechnology, Gearhead first showed up with a souped-up yellow race car during a charity race that Bruce Wayne, alias Batman, was competing in. Gearhead stole all the charity money and rode off, leaving all the contestants baffled. Soon after, Bruce Wayne changes into his alter ego of the Batman and is hot on Gearhead's trail. However, the criminal's hi-tech vehicle had some surprises of its own--it could extend small metal cords and attach them to other vehicles, giving Gearhead full control over the vehicle. He did this to the Batmobile which caused Batman to lose their first battle. Later, back at the Batcave, Bruce and his faithful butler Alfred looked more deeply into nanotechnology and made some new adjustments to the Batmobile. With a bigger and better vehicle, Batman was ready for round two of his match. With the help of Batgirl, he rode out to take Gearhead down. In the final battle when Batman almost destroyed Gearhead's vehicle, the villain jumped out of his hi-tech car and it reverted into a junky, beat-up old one. Gearhead then took control of an ordinary motorcycle, and it transformed into a super vehicle just like his car had been. This revealed to Batman that Gearhead was probably some sort of a cyborg who was built of nanotechnology and could alter vehicles and mechanical devices at will. The fight went on for a while, until Gearhead tried to use his technology to take over the new Batmobile. To his dismay, however, Batman's new adjustments had blocked any take over and caused Gearhead's metal cords to lock in place when he tried. Gearhead was trapped and soon placed in jail.They also made a toy of him from the cartoon but renamed him metal head.
